First and 10: The NCAA was coming after Nico Iamaleava. Tennessee fought back
1. I don’t want to get on a soapbox, but …
They’re carrying the flag now, charging the hill on the NCAA as a Big Orange agent of change.
It was all about protecting the Tennessee athletic program and its reputation, and putting an end to the vague and often counterproductive NCAA “guidelines” to living in the new NIL world.
It has become a lifeboat for Nico Iamaleava.
Not because of eligibility issues, but because of the inevitable distractions brought about by a potential NCAA investigation into Iamaleava and the former 5-star recruit’s path to Tennessee.
Because if Tennessee — and by Tennessee, I mean the university, federal and state politicians, and finally, an Eastern Tennessee federal judge — didn’t derail the NCAA’s last-gasp effort to regain control of its fiefdom by getting a temporary order preventing it from enforcing NIL “guidelines,” the fallout would’ve rested squarely on Iamaleava.
For months, and maybe years, his Tennessee career on the football field would’ve been distracted by the constant drumbeat of an NCAA investigation and his part in the unfolding process.
It’s difficult enough to deal with the pressure of win-it-all-or-bust (because that’s what it is), and win the Heisman Trophy that Peyton should’ve won or bust (because that’s what it is). But for Tennessee’s legal maneuvering, Iamaleava would’ve also had to have been Cam Newton.
That’s right, Cam freaking Newton.
To this day, Newton’s remarkable 2010 season is the greatest in the sport’s history not just because he played at a ridiculously elite level in his first year as a starter. Or that he carried a team that, outside of the quarterback position, was a few ticks above middle of the road.
It’s how he did it — with the backdrop of an NCAA investigation at every turn.
Newton’s dad allegedly was shopping him around the SEC after he graduated from Blinn Junior College, and the going rate was (allegedly) anywhere between $100,000-$180,000. So the NCAA called Newton’s dad, Cecil, and the next thing you know, Big Brother is asking for bank records.
And the NCAA enforcement staff is trying to connect Newton’s father — and the 5 churches where he was a bishop — to any change at any of the churches that involved high dollar value moves. You know, follow the money.
Now imagine the big, bad NCAA zeroing in on Iamaleava and the Tennessee booster who (allegedly) flew him across the country for visits to Knoxville. What else did he pay for? What other “guidelines” did he cross?
What other benefits did Iamaleava receive, and did it involve a Tennessee athletic department not far removed from its last run-in with the NCAA that merely cost the university $8 million — and probation. Which, by the way, Tennessee is still technically serving.
I don’t need to tell you what happens when a program currently on probation breaks major rules again, do I? It would be one helluva season of distraction for Iamaleava — much less a talented Tennessee team — to navigate.
And let’s just say, Nico is no Cam. If you know what I mean.
2. The road less traveled
Newton was built to deal with his season of distraction in 2010.
He played a season at Florida where he backed up Tim Tebow and learned the nuances (on and off the field) of playing the position and embracing everything that comes with it.
He also had the humbling move to Blinn after being kicked off the Gators for stealing another student’s laptop. From can’t-miss 5-star — former Gators OC Dan Mullen told Saturday Down South that he told then-Gators coach Urban Meyer that Newton was the best quarterback on the roster, including Tebow — to living in a tiny dorm in tiny Brenham, Texas.
Newton had 2 years of motivation churning inside him, desperate to get out. An NCAA investigation? Please, get in line.
Iamaleava has 1 game against an Iowa team that couldn’t score on offense if it began every series at the opponent 25.
That’s right, 1 game — and a meaningless bowl game, at that. Hey, Nico, welcome to life in the SEC with your 45 career attempts.
Now go deal with NCAA investigators digging deep into every facet of you and your family’s life since the first time you showed up in Knoxville on a recruiting visit.
That wouldn’t have been good for anyone — much less a sophomore quarterback who hasn’t started an SEC game, hasn’t played on the road in the SEC, and hasn’t dealt with SEC defensive coordinators breaking down tape of every flaw and trying to expose it on a weekly basis.
Fortunately, the university decided it wasn’t going to be the NCAA’s punching bag. It’s one thing for Florida State to get penalized for NIL “guideline” violations, or Florida to be investigated for the way it snatched recruiting defeat from the jaws of victory with 5-star quarterback Jaden Rashada.
It’s a completely different thing for the NCAA, on the verge of an implosion of its own doing — hello, acquiescing to NIL and free player movement at the same time without any clue of their impact (or guidelines!) — nailing to the wall those repeat rules offenders at Tennessee.
There couldn’t have been a bigger softball for the NCAA to knock out of the park.
Until Tennessee — and by Tennessee, I mean the whole damn state — wasn’t going to take it anymore. And the main, unintended benefactor?
Nico Iamaleava.
3. The Big Orange lifeboat, The Epilogue
A year from now, after Iamaleava completes his first season — or maybe even sooner — Vols coach Josh Heupel may just admit he should’ve played Iamaleava more in 2023.
Especially after it was clear Tennessee couldn’t win the SEC East Division after a Week 7 loss at Alabama.
At that point, the Vols should’ve been playing with an eye toward the future. There were difficult games on the horizon (Kentucky, Missouri, Georgia), and getting Iamaleava significant snaps in those games — not just mop-up snaps — would be of critical value in 2024.
There were 5 regular-season games remaining after the loss to Alabama, and Iamaleava didn’t throw a pass against Kentucky, Missouri and Georgia. He played against UConn, then played more against Vanderbilt — which may as well be UConn.
He probably should’ve started and played the entire UConn and Vanderbilt games, in addition to getting snaps in a win over Kentucky, and a 29-point loss to Missouri and a 28-point loss to Georgia. Instead, his lone start came in a bowl game that meant nothing, and against an Iowa team that had no chance of beating Tennessee.
He’ll begin this season with gimme putts against Chattanooga and Kent State sandwiched around games against a wildly underrated NC State defense at a neutral site, and an SEC opener at Oklahoma — where Heupel played and coached.
He’ll also do it without the backdrop of an NCAA investigation shrouding his every move.
4. Moving up
It took 3 classes, but Brian Kelly is getting an elite foothold on high school recruiting at LSU.
After his first 3 classes ranked No. 12 (2022), No. 6 (2023) and No. 7 (2024) by the 247Sports composite, Kelly is closing in on No. 1 for the 2025 class. LSU is No. 2 in the 247Sports composite — but only because No. 1 Notre Dame has commitments from 7 more players.
LSU already has commitments from 5 of the top 130 players, including No. 1 overall (QB Bryce Underwood), No. 4 (WR Dakorien Moore) and No. 44 (RB Harlem Berry).
Kelly and his staff have secured commitments from the top 3 players in the state of Louisiana (all 3 among the top 130), and 4 of the top 6. LSU is also among the leaders for 2 more 5-star recruits: CB DJ Pickett and WR Kaliq Lockett.
5. The Weekly 5
Five reasons 14 teams is better than 12 for the Playoff.
1. Two more teams in the tournament. A no-brainer, yes. But another opportunity for 2 more hot teams to make a deep run.
2. Only 2 teams get first-round byes: a significant prize that enhances the regular season. In a 12-team model, 4 teams get byes.
3. More SEC and Big Ten. Admit it, you’d rather see the best teams instead of forcing Big 12 or ACC teams, or any other top teams from any other conference.
4. It’s the NFL model. And before you complain, remember that the NFL is king of media. Nothing else comes close. Imitation is the sincerest form of cashing large media rights checks.
5. Watch how big the national championship game becomes — especially with a couple of rare runs from low seeds.
6. Your tape is your resume
An NFL scout analyzes a draft-eligible SEC player. This week: Alabama WR Jermaine Burton.
“Helped himself tremendously during the interview process at the Combine, and more than anything, with a strong season (in 2023). He proved he could get off the jam and separate, and get open and make plays on big 3rd-down throws. He got lost for much of his career with both (Georgia and Alabama). That’s the red flag. Can you get him to produce consistently? He’s a Day 2 pick, no question. Maybe even a high 2nd-round selection for some teams.”
7. Powered Up
This week’s Power Poll: Ranking the best football-basketball player combination:
1. Alabama: QB Jalen Milroe and G Mark Sears. Sears is 1 of the best 3 players in the SEC, and Milroe was arguably the best player in the SEC by the end of last season.
2. Tennessee: Edge James Pearce and G Dalton Knecht. The ceiling for both is tremendous. Pearce is primed for a big season in 2024, and Knecht could be the first college player selected in the NBA Draft.
3. Missouri: WR Luther Burden III and G Sean East II. The most exciting player in the SEC, and the most underrated player in the SEC. We know all about Burden; watch East play — just an unreal game.
4. Auburn: LB Eugene Asante and F Johni Broome: Asante is the best player in the SEC you’ve never heard of (he’ll be a 1st-round NFL Draft pick in 2025). Meanwhile, everyone knows Broome and his elite game.
5. Texas: QB Quinn Ewers and G Max Abmas. Ewers has yet to play a full season, but is loaded with talent. A volume shooter/scorer at Oral Roberts the previous 4 seasons, Abmas has dropped 4 points to 17.1 — but still is shooting 43% from beyond the arc.
6. Kentucky: DT Deone Walker and G Antonio Reeves. Walker had breakout season in 2023, and could be the SEC’s best interior lineman in 2024. If it weren’t for Knecht, Reeves would be SEC POY.
7. Texas A&M: DL Shemar Turner and G Wade Taylor IV. Taylor is the perfect Buzz Williams player: tough, smart, aggressive — and can shoot. Turner is loaded with potential. Is this the year he puts it all together?
8. Oklahoma: LB Danny Stutsman and G Javian McCollum. The classic, old school OU middle linebacker, who owns the run game. And McCollum, a Siena transfer who has been up and down as a scorer — but does so many other things so well.
9. Ole Miss: DT Walter Nolen and G Matthew Murrell. Nolen hasn’t played a down at Ole Miss, and already in the team’s best player. Murrell has had a terrific 4-year career at Ole Miss and will not return for 2025.
10. Georgia: QB Carson Beck and G Noah Thomasson. Beck should be a top-10 pick in next year’s NFL Draft. Thomasson has played well, but has taken less shots and his scoring average has dipped nearly 7 points since transferring from Niagara.
11. Florida: WR Trey Wilson and G Zyon Pullin. When Florida got the ball into the hands of Wilson in 2023, good things happened. It’s not hyperbole to say Pullin has been a program-saver for Gators coach Todd Golden.
12. LSU: LB Harold Perkins and G Jordan Wright (Vandy transfer). We don’t need to get into why LSU refuses to play Perkins on the edge full-time. Wright has been a productive scorer since transferring from Vanderbilt.
13. South Carolina: LB Debo Williams and G Meechie Johnson. Williams is a classic thumper middle linebacker, a reliable force. Johnson is a fun, fearless force despite his size.
14. Arkansas: DE Landon Jackson and G Tramon Mark (Houston transfer). Hogs got a huge lift for the pass rush when Jackson decided to return for the 2024 season. Mark never found it in 3 years at Houston, but he’s there now — his average improving by 6 points.
15. Mississippi State: WR Kelly Akharaiyi and C Tolu Smith III. Akharaiyi had a 1,000-yard season in 2023 at UTEP — despite catching only 48 passes (21.5 ypc.) Smith may be the most complete post player in the SEC.
16. Vanderbilt: WR Junior Sherrill and G Tyrin Lawrence. Sherrill is last man standing in the wide receiver room after every other returning starter of significance hit the portal. Lawrence has improved all 4 seasons at Vandy, and stayed when he could’ve left — and had his best season.
8. Ask and you shall receive
Matt: Why are there so many different start and end dates for spring football? Is it weather-related? — Scott Fisher, Lexington, Ky.
Scott:
It’s coach-related, and that’s the easiest way to explain it. Each has a different philosophy about spring practice.
Some consider it critical to the development of players. Some just try to avoid major injuries and pull back on veterans.
Some coaches believe the earlier start allows for more recuperation time from any potential injuries. Others believe the later start allows for players to completely heal from the previous season’s injuries.
Missouri played its spring game last weekend. Georgia’s spring game is April 13.
Think about this: With college football — specifically, the SEC and Big Ten — moving toward a professional model, it would make sense to follow the NFL’s marketing genius, too. In other words, everything has a position on the calendar.
The NFL owns the sports calendar because every major move (outside of the season) within the structure of the league finds a standalone spot and captivates the moment. College all-star games (Senior Bowl, East-West Shrine Game), legal tampering/free agency, OTA’s, the Draft, minicamp, training camp.
The major television and cable networks do backflips for the content. College football can do the same thing, and sell it the same way.
Recruiting, the transfer portal, spring practice, fall camp. Set the calendar, and watch it grow to unrecognizable proportions.
9. Numbers
196. Nearly every metric for the Oklahoma defense got better in 2023, a key factor in the Sooners rebounding in coach Brent Venables’ 2nd season. Now, the problem: OU still gave up 195 plays of 10+ yards in 2023.
Why is this important, you ask? Only 1 SEC team (LSU) gave up more than 196 plays of 10+ yards in 2023. Vanderbilt, the SEC’s worst defense, gave up 194. Florida had, statistically, its worst defense in more than 4 decades — and gave up 164.
If the Sooners are going to transition smoothly into the SEC, the defense must get significantly better. And it starts with eliminating chunk plays.
10. Quote to note
Florida coach Billy Napier on QB Graham Mertz: “Him being back is a huge deal – not only for him personally and our team but for DJ (Lagway), as well. I think just in general, his leadership, his voice. I mean, the guy’s – it’s a big deal for the Florida Gators that Graham Mertz is back to play quarterback. A ton of advantages. A ton of confidence there.”
I think Tennessee broke the rules. My guess is pretty much every major program did. The rules appear to be written poorly and laid out even worse. But, every one of those schools is a voluntary member of the NCAA. That means they have a say in the rule making and an obligation to follow them. The NCAA isn’t the enemy even though lots of people try and make them so. They are just an organization led by the schools to govern themselves.
The brief written by the judge indicated otherwise
I don’t put a lot of stock in the opinion of a biased judge.
“I don’t put a lot of stock in the opinion of a biased judge.”
The NCAA turned a blind eye to UNC making up fake classes for basketball players.
Want to talk bias?
That’s not accurate. The athletes were encouraged to take the fake class, but it was available to all students. That meant it was not an NCAA issue.
“The athletes were encouraged to take the fake class, but it was available to all students. That meant it was not an NCAA issue.”
Reread what you posted.
“The athletes were encouraged to take the fake class, but it was available to all students.”
ATTENTION EVERYONE WITH AN IQ HIGHER THAN DUNG:
Please read the above comment. Analyze said comment. Study. Dissect.
What evidence do you have the judge was biased? Looking for objective evidence apart from your personal opinion, which based on your lengthy posting history doesn’t amount to any level of credibility.
“What evidence do you have the judge was biased?”
Zero. But, this is the same person that stated that fake classes offered to athletes was ok and had nothing to do with NCAA rules.
that same “biased judge” ruled against TN in his first ruling. He may or may not be biased. he does live in TN. he may or may not be a UT football fan. But you really have no idea if he is biased or not. You just assume it. There are likely plenty of biased judges around the country but there are also likely plenty of unbiased judges who rule on cases involving where they live and who also have ethics and morals. Which is this judge? I dont know. And neither do you.
You also dont know if the rules were broken or not. Again you are assuming it because the ncaa came after them. If the law rules the ncaa rule is illegal then can it still be a rule?
You can try to turn this into something its not. What UT did was coming. if not from them then from someone one else. The toothpaste was not only out of the tube but all over the floor, sink and everywhere else. Nobody was going to put that back in the tube once this thing started snow-balling.
If the NCAA wanted to win this against somebody, then they should have picked a school with no spine. TN won’t back down from a fight. NCAA tried to flex their muscles and ended up getting slapped around.
Do you know the judge? Then you are just spouting nonsense
Says the guy who thinks the clearly biased judges going after Trump are fine…. Libs haha
You think every non Trump supporter is a lib. That’s just ignorant. I’ve never voted for a dem in my life. I voted for Trump twice, but won’t do it again. How about Judge Cannon? She is as biased as they come. Even the Supreme Court has lost all credibility. Judges are now just politicians. They have a bias and look for ways to support that bias. It works both ways. That’s why judge shopping is such as issue now. It’s obvious to anyone who actually pays attention. For those like you with a bias, the judges that rule in your favor are fair and those who rule against you are biased. It’s comical.
I can confirm lsusmc is a lib who is likely a perpetrator of stolen Valor.
Take the test for yourself:
1. Are his comments half-baked and low IQ? CHECK
2. Does he hate Trump and therefore America? CHECK
3. Is he an incessant virtue signaler? CHECK
4. If you disagree with him, does he want you censored, attacked or jailed? CHECK
5. Are his “principles” constantly changing depending on his desired predetermined outcome? CHECK
Gee whiz Buford. Why would you not just post as the Tennessee fan that you are instead of using one of your many fake ID’s? I guess you feel you have more credibility as a fake LSU fan. Your post is completely ridiculous. The cult of Trump is strong.
“I think Tennessee broke the rules.”
What rules?
The ones not written down. Just assumed.
(a) Knowing involvement in offering or providing a prospective or an enrolled student-athlete an improper inducement or extra benefit or improper financial aid
10.1.a
UNC is laughing.
Well then I guess we will have to start digging into every transfer or current student athlete. How about we start with Caleb Williams? Or anybody at Colorado? How about we check into DeBoer’s recruits to Washington and Bama? Check out TN from Kiffin to now. How about Georgia since Kirby arrived? It’s a never ending list.
You will find these infractions at every single institution. It’s not a maybe. It’s a for sure thing. You mention to a kid you can make more at Texas than you can Ohio State and you’ve broken the rules.
UNC making fake classes to funnel athletes through for over 15 years is significantly worse, IMO, than offering a kid more money to play for Team A instead of Team B. You think all of these kids are going to Colorado because they are a top tier program with a massive wall of championship trophies?
… which has been been determined to be a illegal statute clearly in violation of the Sherman Act providing and safeguarding the economic libery of citizen since 1890.
“The NCAA isn’t the enemy even though lots of people try and make them so.”
UNC 100% agrees with you, comrade. Be best!
Your post wasn’t correct the first time you typed it. Nothing has changed.
You literally admitted that UNC offered fake classes.
Try harder.
The school approved and offered the classes, not the basketball team. This was an issue for academics, not sports.
“This was an issue for academics, not sports.”
The NCAA has punished athletes over academics.
YOUR
EXUSES
ARE
LAME.
You’re just not bright, but I’m not getting into a pizzing contest with you. Enjoy your self proclaimed victory.
“You’re just not bright”
Amazing how instead of actually debating your stated claim, you chose to default to that.
Great job, chief.
There is no debating with you. Your density takes over and you just keep moving the bar. I’m not playing that game.
“There is no debating with you. Your density takes over and you just keep moving the bar. I’m not playing that game.”
Yet you keep replying to my comments.
Not every comment is a debate. Happy to help.
“Not every comment is a debate. Happy to help.”
Debating is something you’re not capable of.
I think Tennessee doesn’t win much for a self proclaimed “everything school”. Maybe the stink at everything. They are just the worst.
TN won against the NCAA…..and all of Mexico.
Did I see that DeBoer let a kid play in the championship game at Washington knowing that he assaulted and raped two women? You know what? I stand corrected. DeBoer is the PERFECT coach at Bama.
You all deserve each other
You gonna hang a banner in Neyland for your big court win? Probably as legit as some of those other titles you claim
Coming from a Bama fan where most of their “championships” are claim by a multitude of schools.
You’re quite the comedian. Bama claims titles where they weren’t even in contention on being one of the top teams. They just claimed it because it was Tuesday.
Alabama had a Final Four season that included zero wins against Tennessee. Just saying.
How can you break a rule that didnt exist when it happened.
The NCAA’s guidelines (rules) were in direct violations of both state and Federal antitrust laws and supported by multiple decisive court decisions to include 9-0 decision by the SC. The only way you can believe the NCAA is not the enemy is to also believe the NCAA is above the law.
You may be right, which is a problem. I don’t think anyone imagined that NIL would become the elephant in the room of college football. The people at Tennessee saw an opening and took it. They decided to test the law, and a court has ruled that they did nothing wrong.
The reason the NCAA is hated is the perception that its enforcement practices were/are uneven and inept. Many readers on this site think that NIL only made legal what had been happening all along. Even when the FBI gave the goods on some teams/schools, they didn’t make anything stick. Tennessee fought back because it was clear that they were not doing anything that no one else was doing, and that the NCAA only singled them out out to get their pound of flesh after they paid their way out of the Pruitt deal.
If they didn’t do anything wrong there was no reason to sue the NCAA.
What? Please at least take the time to follow the case. Proceeding the investigation hitting the press, the NCAA spent much time digging at UT to find nothing. The Nico recruitment allegations was all that was discovered. Being falsely accused of an infractions that would have resulted in $10s-100s of millions in eventual losses sounds like a perfectly good reason to sue.
NIL was designed to be a benefit for active players. Nice thought in theory. Schools abu$ed it by turning it into a recruiting tool. That’s when the problems started.
“Schools abu$ed it by turning it into a recruiting tool.”
Universities have made millions off of student athletes for decades.
That’s when the problems started? What problems? The NCAA has been in violation of the a comprehensive Act that safeguards economic liberties and dates back to 1890. They were never seriously challenged on it until more recently.
Still not used to seeing Oklahoma and Texas discussed as SEC members.
Nor TAM and Misery.
UT, as I understand it, was being pursued by the NCAA for rules that were not in place during the recruitment and NIL deal. Basically, the NCAA was trying to retroactively punish UT for rules that were not in effect at that time. UT has not been the cleanest program (I think they are no more rules breaking prone than any other large program but they have been caught), but when they have been the focus of the NCAA, they have cooperated with the NCAA. This was different as they immediate pushed back hard, something they hadn’t done before. That tells me they were confident they did nothing wrong and the federal judge has agreed with them.
Bottom line, the NCAA could have been proactive in getting their members together and coming up with transfer portal and NIL regulations everyone could agree to and live with. They didn’t and punted the problem trying to get anyone else to take care of it. They have no one but themselves to blame for the mess the NIL and transfer portal are as they currently exist.
“they were confident they did nothing wrong and the federal judge has agreed with them.” Not true. The federal judge ruled that the NCAA’s rules were not enforceable.
The NCAA could NOT have been proactive in coming up with transfer portal and NIL regulations. That too would have been illegal violations of Federal and many state laws. The only answer, which will take some time, is collective a bargaining agreement. Of course, that will force the players to become student employees.
“The NCAA was coming after Nico Iamaleava. Tennessee fought back”
AU showed everyone how to beat the NCAA con game.
It’s really easy.
I think the NCAA was using Nico to come after Tennessee.
Tennessee viewed it as a death threat, treated it accordingly.
Don’t worry guys. This is a safe space from Donk’s retardation. He’s also really busy with Luvdaride and Gaybriel. Donk’s mouth is full of Gaybriel and well Luvdaride is well……you know. .
Needless to say. He won’t be making it to the community comment section.
Championships this century:
Vanderbilt – 2
Vols – 0
How nice of you to free up Donk’s mouth to join us.
Players that help murder a woman
Bama – 1
TN – 0
It’s so cool how you value a trophy you had nothing to do with, and didn’t even wind up winning, over a life.
The life of a Bama fan.
“Players that help murder a woman”
You could add ex-Bama players that killed people going down the interstate in Vegas the wrong way to that list.
Ron,
Did you see DeBoer allowed a kid to play at Washington even though he knew he had assaulted and raped multiple women??
What a stand up guy they have in Tuscaloosa.
From my uninformed perspective it appears UT unknowingly broke rules the NCAA quietly and arbitrarily created regarding NIL. Which might ultimately be a moot point since the judge appears to have concluded those rules are not enforceable by the NCAA. These are probably the end days for the NCAA. There are some major structural changes coming to college football. I have zero love for the NCAA, I just want the traditions and other aspects that made CFB enjoyable to not be laid to waste in the name of money and greed.
“These are probably the end days for the NCAA”
We can only hope.
Quietly and arbitrarily and then splashed them on the front pages of every sports publication in existence.
Universities that don’t want to be members of the NCAA can leave anytime.
A whole bunch of drivel from Hayes.
The NCAA wasn’t coming for Nico. They were using Nico to come after Tennessee.
They thought they could just casually throw a death threat on the table and have the University cower in submission. But they weren’t dealing with Mike Hamilton who would be a cuckold while they kneecapped Bruce Pearl.
NC double A climbed on Rocky Top, looking for a moonshine still,
Strangers ain’t come down from Rocky Top,
……..Reckon they never will.
Weird….I figured Donk would have been here saying how much he owns me and to go comment somewhere else by now seeing how he hangs from my coat tails and stalks my comments.
Oh yeah. This isn’t the Bama comment section. That’s where he cowers. It’s his safe space What a loser.
Guess I owned him into oblivion.
Here’s to owning Donk!!!
I told all you stupid mofos months ago that Tennessee was going to put the NCAA in jail. Now you want to act like it was even close. Tennessee does not play and Donde got mad so you are all done. Wait until the fall you stupid mofos.
Not a reply to you, Mr. Conductor, but I accidently swiped your post so, here I am. Anyway, to Matt, “Or that he carried a team that, outside of the quarterback position, was a few ticks above middle of the road.” Did you miss the 2010 season and just read twitter about the games? Auburn had a senior laden OL, including Lee ‘Chopblock’ Ziemba AND a guy named Wes Byrum who, in case you didn’t notice, kicked field goals to win FOUR games, including the national championship against Oregon.